Low oxytocin and melatonin levels and their possible role in the diagnosis and prognosis in Iraqi autistic children

Abstract

Objectives:To test the possible association between oxytocin and melatonin levels with the severity of social and cognitive dysfunctions, and to study the correlation between these parameters in children with autism.Methods:A case-control study was carried out in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq. The study was performed on 60 male autistic patients recruited from the Pediatric Department of Al-Sader General Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq between November 2014 and April 2015. The levels of oxytocin and melatonin were measured in the serum of these autistic male patients, and categorized as mild, moderate, and severe (20 patients each), and was compared with 26 age- and gender-matched control subjects.Results:The data indicated that the levels of oxytocin (44.72 ± 36.1 µIU/mL) and melatonin in patients (23.08 ± 10.41 pg/mL) were significantly lower (p<0.05) than that of age-matched (102.1 ± 34.31 µIU/mL) and gender-matched controls (53.05 ± 38.38 pg/mL). These parameters were remarkably associated with the severity of the disease that was indicated by the significant decrease in the levels of oxytocin (47 ± 25.47 µIU/mL) and melatonin in moderate (20 ± 6.14 pg/mL), and patients with severe oxytocin (27.92 ± 10.23 µIU/mL) and patients with severe melatonin (21.69 ± 7.02 pg/mL) when compared with mild autistic patients with oxytocin (59.22 ± 27.32 µIU/mL) and melatonin (27.55 ± 14.71 pg/mL). These 2 parameters showed a significant positive correlation with each other in moderate (r=0.513; p=0.021), and severe patients (r=0.598; p=0.005).Conclusion:Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that oxytocin can be considered as a good diagnostic marker in severe autistic patients while melatonin can be considered as a good diagnostic marker in all autistic subgroups. This study proves the possibility of using oxytocin and melatonin in the diagnosis, and as markers of autism severity.

The effect of melatonin administration on the oxidative status in children with autism

“…In children subjected to this study, there was an elevation in the level of MDA with a concomitant decrease in the levels of CAT and SOD enzymes before receiving the supplement that may explain the high oxidative stress which is also accompanied by low melatonin level which is in agreement with many previous types of research (Abdulamir et al, 2016a) (Tordjman et al, 2013) (Ruggeri et al, 2014) . So, the possible explanation is that the defect in melatonin synthesis in autistic children may participate in reducing the activity of CAT and SOD that lead to increase the MDA levels.…”

“…Furthermore, the signi icant correlation obtained between melatonin level and oxidative stress indicators before and after receiving the supplementation prove the possible contribution of melatonin in the prevention of oxidative damage that may participate in the pathogenesis of autism in addition to its neuro-modulatory effect that originates from melatonin capability to cross the blood-brain barrier (Abdulamir et al, 2016a) .…”

“…Melatonin role in controlling immune system activity still not fully understood (A et al, 2013) , since that some researches stated that it has an immunestimulant effect other studies postulated that it has anti-in lammatory activity. A review published by Carrillo-Vico and his co-workers in 2013 prove the concept of the immune-buffer activity of melatonin that behaves as either stimulant or anti-in lammatory mediator in accordance with the immune conditions (Abdulamir et al, 2016a;A et al, 2013) .…”

“…Many effectors, including neurohormones, neurotransmitters in addition to hormones and immunological mediators may participate effectively in the manifestation of clinical signs beside their crucial role in the severity and pathogenesis of autism. Melatonin considered as one of the neurohormones that play an essential role in the regulation and maintenance of circadian sleep-wake rhythm, which is synthesized mainly in the pineal gland from tryptophan (Abdulamir et al, 2016a) (Poloni et al, 2011) .…”

Serotonin and serotonin transporter levels in autistic children

“…Autistic children present with various deficits including impaired social communication and interaction, stereotypical movements, or behavior in a repetitive manner,1,2 acquisition of the language besides a failure to assume a proper meaning from normal social cues and fixation on a maintained uniformity of routine 3. Additionally, autistic children also suffered from sensory abnormalities with a low threshold for sensory inputs leading to avoidance behaviors 3.…”